You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor

Posted on Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 8:16 p.m.

Family members seek answers after 31-year-old man Tasered during drug raid in Superior Township dies

By Lee Higgins

Police officers talk to the family members of Stanley Jackson Jr., who died after being Tasered during a drug bust Friday in Superior Township.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

A Belleville man who was Tasered during a drug bust at his mother’s Superior Township home Friday died less than two hours later at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, family members said.

Pearlie Jackson says she was in a hospital waiting room, desperate for information about her 31-year-old son, Stanley Jackson Jr., when a doctor gave her the news.

He told her Stanley was “fussing and trying to get off the stretcher” in the emergency room, and his heart stopped “when they gave him medication to relax him,” she said.

“You’re telling me my son is gone!” she recalls screaming as she collapsed.

It's unclear what caused the death of Stanley Jackson Jr., a former high school running back with no known medical problems. An autopsy was planned for this afternoon, and Michigan State Police detectives were investigating.

The incident began after officers with the Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Enforcement Team requested assistance from deputies, sheriff's department spokesman Derrick Jackson said.

Clayton said Stanley Jackson resisted as he was being taken into custody.

"The deployment of the Taser was a direct response to the behavior of the subject," Clayton said.

Clayton would not say whether Jackson was shot with probes or "drive-stunned" directly against his skin with the Taser and would not discuss whether any other force was used. He also declined to say whether arrest warrants or search warrants had been obtained and did not provide details of the arrest.

Clayton is urging people to withhold judgment until state police complete their investigation. Investigators will release details as soon as they can, he said.

"We're committed to openness and making sure all the facts are known," Clayton said.

Officials with LAWNET could not be reached for comment today, and Michigan State Police did not release any additional details.

State Department of Corrections records show Jackson has a criminal record dating back to 2001, including a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was on probation for a drug conviction when the bust occurred, records show.

Superior Township resident Nico Peterson, age 20, describes what he saw on Friday.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Nico Peterson, 20, said he was outside Friday when he saw Jackson and another man standing by a car in front of Jackson’s mother's house.

Two marked sheriff’s department patrol cars came from the west and parked in front of the home, he said. A man with a thick beard wearing a yellow T-shirt ran onto the property from the east with a handgun drawn, yelling at the man who was with Jackson, Peterson said.

"I’m with the state police! This is a drug raid! We’ll shoot you if necessary!" Peterson recalled the undercover officer saying.

One deputy had drawn what appeared to be a handgun as he chased Jackson through the garage and into the house, Peterson said, and the other deputy ran around the back.

When Jackson was brought out on a stretcher, someone he knows asked him a question, but he didn't respond, Peterson said.

“I feel kind of hurt that I have to sit here and watch that from my own porch,” Peterson said.

Peterson said he didn't see anyone get arrested.

Pearlie Jackson said when she received a call from someone she knows telling her to come home from work at 4:45 p.m. Friday, her son was already at the hospital.

When she got home, she spoke with a plainclothes LAWNET officer in her garage, who showed her a bag of marijuana, some rocks of crack cocaine and some cash, she said.

She said the officer told her her son was not under arrest, but officers would have to apply for a warrant through the prosecutor's office. Her son didn't live at the home, but stayed there occasionally, she said.

She knew her son was Tasered, but did not fear he was going to die.

“I would have left immediately if I knew he was going to be in danger,” she said.

She and at least two others said they saw blood spots on the exterior of the oven and floor of her kitchen. She said she worked as a nurse for more than three decades and "it was absolutely blood. I know blood." It's unclear where the blood came from.

Clayton declined to comment on the blood spots.

Anthony Johnson of Ypsilanti, who is Pearlie Jackson's boyfriend, said he is concerned about the possibility that excessive force was used.

"Tasers don't draw blood," he said. "When we came in here, there was blood like it was a scuffle."

Felicia Smith, 46, of Ypsilanti, who is Stanley Jackson’s cousin, said family members were talking about him around the kitchen table early this morning when several deputies showed up carrying assault rifles.

They told her they received a call about disturbing the peace, she said.

“It was horrible,” she said. “It added to the pressure.”

Sheriff Clayton confirmed deputies responded to a 911 call early this morning at the home, but declined to be more specific or say whether deputies were carrying assault rifles.

Stanley Jackson Jr. is a graduate of Robichaud High School in Dearborn Heights, where he played football, family members said.

He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, weightlifting and taking his children to the park, relatives said. He was a member of Metropolitan Memorial Full Gospel Baptist Church in Ypsilanti, family members said.

Funeral arrangements have not been set.

Clayton, who canceled a family trip today to respond to the situation, reached out to Jackson's family members to explain how the investigative process works. They had not taken him up on his offer by this afternoon.

"I wanted to talk to the mother," he said. "I think it's important people know we value human life."

Clayton said deputies have made progress working with community members to fight crime in the MacArthur Boulevard neighborhood and have sponsored youth sports programs. He hopes the incident is not a setback and is thinking about holding a community forum in the township to discuss residents' concerns.

"Even if some in the community don’t engage us, we’re going to stay engaged,” he said.

Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.

Comments

Michael Schils

Sun, Jan 2, 2011 : 2:15 p.m.

Where's the follow-up on this story you mention? Has A2Com published such a follow-up?

Lee Higgins

Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 10:43 a.m.

We have been following up on the story.

kraiford12

Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 10:36 a.m.

Any updated news about this story? Autopsy results were said to be released within a week?

Michael Schils

Fri, Sep 10, 2010 : 6:41 p.m.

Three days after this tragic incident, A2com reported the statement from Washtenaw County Deputy Medical Examiner Jeff Jentzen, saying that the toxicology results would not be available for at least 7 to 10 days. It has now been over a week past that, and still no word. I now repeat my earlier prediction (up-thread) that Medical Examiner Bader Cassin will drag his feet as long as possible before releasing the results of his investigation into the death of Stanley Jackson. Several years ago, in his investigation into the death of Clifton Lee Jr death, after "letting the press die down", Dr. Cassin eventually attributed the cause of death to "the ground". Here is the relevant portion of the article (link below): "A deputy, whom he later learned was Eberle, leaned on Lee's neck, but Cassin emphasized that the recording shows the ground blocked Lee's airway. "There was blocking of the nose and mouth, not done by hand, but by positioning of the head straight down into the turf," Cassin testified." Take note here that even though Deputy Joseph Eberle was forcing the subject's face "straight down into the turf" (after spraying pepper spray into his mouth), Cassin is saying that it was "the ground" that caused the death, not the deputy. I now make another fairly obvious prediction that when Dr. Bader Cassin eventually releases the long-awaited results regarding his investigation into the death of Stanley Jackson, he will have determined the cause of death to be ANYTHING BUT the cop's use of the taser. Over three weeks have passed and the sheriff's office still has not released any specific statement of facts regarding what happened. Jerry Clayton isn't being any more "transparent" than his predecessor. So much for that campaign promise. http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2008/11/deputy_trial_medical_examiner.html

T.H

Fri, Sep 10, 2010 : 5:23 a.m.

I have to say that I think over half these people that commented on this article are clueless, heartless, and living in a bubble. I don't care what Stan's criminal record was, HE DID NOT DESERVE TO BE KILLED. Did he pull a gun on the police on 8/20/2010 or any other day? NO. Now if he had made some type of attempt to harm the police that would be a argument for the police and their tactics. I also believe that over half these people who commented on this story really has on rose colored glasses when it comes to the police, they are just as human as you and I and they make mistakes as well. When it comes to who was really at fault of Stan's death, I am sure that the police, the hospital, the E.M.S won't want to be held liable/responsible, thats just how it is, POLITICS. One thing I know for sure is that no matter what anyone who DIDN'T know Stan has to say/comment he was a good man that made some bad choices in his life and he didn't deserve to die as a result of it. It's not like some other drug dealers killed him or had any involvement in his death. Over half of the commenters probably don't know how hard it is for a felon, black man to get a job, no matter how hard they try they still can't get honest work, so being so quick to judge a man/woman you first need to understand their circumstances. Put yourself in their shoes before you make these STUPID comments. ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE. I come from a place where I have seen just how the police take their jobs to a whole different level of "TO PROTECT &amp; SERVE", no I am not a felon or a criminal, I have very strong views when it comes to this because I don't live in a bubble and I have seen the Washtenaw County Police Department do some really horrible things in superior township, you people can act like you don't know about the other murders by the WCPD if you want to, that still does not change the fact they they have murdered black men before, they have railroaded them for murders, and they do use excessive force. Get out of that bubble and pay attention to what is going on in your community, neighboring community because the bottom line is that we are all human and deserve to be treated as such, yes the police should do their job but to what extent? This man is dead and he was a very healthy young man. So whats next? I guess it won't hit you until it happens to you, you won't pay attention to just how far the police go until it's your son, father, brother, and believe me it's not always drug raids, drugs, criminal histories that make the police GO TOO FAR. This man is dead, and that's final. Get out of the bubble and pay attention to whats happening in your communities, to your kids, to your neighbors children, and stop being so quick to judge a person by their past, over half the stuff you guys posted about his criminal history, he did his time for, and that meant he paid his debt to society for those things, what he did after that still didn't warrant his death.

Matt Cooper1

Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 5:41 a.m.

@lawgirl: "There are 4th Amendment concerns with this case. All citizens have a right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.Was there a search warrant for the property? " If the police are pursuing a criminal suspect and that suspect runs into a house or any other structure, which is what I understand happened here, no, they are not required to get a search warrant in order to effect the arrest.

stunhsif

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:58 p.m.

One of the very few times I agree with ERMG though he is an avowed liberal and I am a conservative/libertarian. I am for legalizing "soft" drugs, not "hard" drugs. I am for the death penalty for pusher's selling large quantities of "hard" drugs.

Matt Cooper1

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:56 p.m.

Mitch: When you're ready to walk a beat, or work the road for a living, then you can talk about tasers. Until then, please calm yourself down. I've seen you on here before going on and on and on about how bad tasers are and about how cops should never use them. And yet you offer not a single viable alternative. What's an officer to do when a suspect decides he's going to fight rather than submit to being arrested? Loo at him and say "Stop...pretty please!"? Or maybe he should say to the subject "Sorry buddy, I can't fight you right now, gimme a minute to call for back-up". Or perhaps cops should start riding 3 and 4 to a car? If I'm the cop, and I am dealing with a subject that wants to resist with violence, I am under no duty or obligation to do physical combat with him. Their training calls for them to use the least amount of force with which to effect the arrest. If the cops use a taser, I'd be willing to bet it's only because the subject has resisted all other forms of restraint. Until you are willing to walk a beat or work the road and deal with some of the situations that area police deal with every single day, please, keep your ill-informed opinions to yourself. Stop chirping endlessly about statistice and get out on the road and see a cops life for yourself. Myabe then you can make a qualitative assesment. Until then, you, like so many others, are preaching ahbout things you know barely anything about, and doing if from the comfort of your desk at home, safe and sound behind the wall of security or men and women in uniform provide. Walk the strees in a uniform. Ride patrol for a living. Or shut up.

Roadman

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:25 p.m.

The Detroit News reported today on the death of a 50-year old man accosted by Livonia Police who struck his head after being tasered. The Livonia death remains under investigation. Sound policy would require all law enforcement agencies to stop employing these unreasonably dangerous instuments

Roadman

Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 5:40 p.m.

The Livonia Police, as reported by the Detroit News today, annnounced an incident where a 50-year old man has died after striking his head after being tasered. The case is being investigated. Yet another unnecessary death due to an instrument that needs to be banned.

Roadman

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 10:25 p.m.

The use of TASER weapons has been implicated in the deaths of at least two other persons in Michigan in recent years. A TASER is essentially a medical instrument administering a disabling electric shock. The human body runs on electric impulses. The very young, very old, and those with adverse medical conditions are susceptible to a far more severe reaction to these weapons than a healthy adult. The law enforcement officer in the field is ill-equipped to employ these devices without proper training or information of the criminal suspect's medical history. Sheriff Clayton came to office in the wake of the Lee tragedy and yet this unnecessary death occurs. Responbible leadership in the Sheriff's Department would have banned these devices in the first place.

Michael Schils

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 10:24 a.m.

jjc155, you are incorrect in your statement that "the article on the autopsy lists that Dr Jeffery Jentzen performed the autopsy." Here is the relevant passage from the article: "A preliminary autopsy has been conducted, but toxicology results won't be available for at least 7 to 10 days, Washtenaw County Deputy Medical Examiner Jeff Jentzen said this morning. In the meantime, details of the death will not be released, Jentzen said." jjc155, if you read it again, but more carefully this time, you will see that Jentzen is merely saying that a prelim. autopsy has been conducted, he IS NOT saying that he alone conducted it. Your claim that Jentzen "is no stranger to media furvor" is irrelevant as he will not be making the decision of when to release the report. Again, that decision will be made by the *Chief Medical Examiner, Bader Cassin, who I repeat, delayed the release of the report in the Clifton Lee, Jr. case for two months in order to "let the press die down."

Mark

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:47 a.m.

This will be my last comment because this could go on forever. @Atticus - "enforce your moral beliefs that intoxication is morally wrong" Intoxication, by certain substances, is not a moral issue, it is a legal issue. Morality would be something like cheating on your wife. Intoxication by alcohol, perfectly legal. Intoxication by pot, meth, cocaine, haroine..... illegal. simple @kmgeb2000 - Do you honestly think that the officer set out to kill this guy? Think again. Again, if this man would have made better choices, he would still be alive. Look back in your own life and think of all the times where if you had made a different choice, your life could have changed drastically. @Clayhill - I agree, this man did not deserve to die. But he did as a direct result of his actions, that is running and resisting, not his alleged crime. @ Speechless - That's right, legalize drugs, have our kids stoned in the streets, lets increase our tax burden by having to take care of all the morons that have fried their brains with drugs. That is exactly the answer.... Brilliant. Why isn't anyone questioning the doctor's choice to apply the chemical restraint that stopped Mr. Jackson's heart? I am sure that there are other methods of restraining a fighting patient. Is it because if he gets sued for malpractice in this case, he has a nice insurance policy to pay for it? Maybe the police should have insurance policies for just such an occasion? ciao

jjc155

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 6:17 a.m.

@michael schills.... Its in this article, which you posted in, so I assumed that you read it. http://www.annarbor.com/news/autopsy-results-on-man-who-died-after-being-tasered-expected-to-be-released-in-about-a-week/

Nephilim

Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 12:49 a.m.

Apparently you are not allowed to question the great journalism abilities of the author of these articles or you won't get posted. Bring back Amalie Nash to the crime beat. At least she was respected and could get the facts. Amalie Amalie Amalie

Michael Schils

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:38 p.m.

jjc155, I don't see where the article states that it was Jentzen who performed the preliminary autopsy. Would you mind pointing out exactly where you got that? But even so, how would that put an underling in control of when the report is released by the office? Wouldn't it seem that such a decision would fall under the sole discretion of the "Chief"?

jjc155

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 7:10 p.m.

@michael schills, yes Dr Casin in the chief medical examiner in washtenaw, however the article on the autopsy lists that Dr Jeffery Jentzen performed the autopsy. Dr Jentzen was the medical examiner in Milwakee during the Jeffery Dahmer years and is no stranger to media furvor. The other article quotes him in saying that the Toxicology report will be back with in 2 weeks and then a determination would be made and I see no reason that it would be prolonged past that. ps, we have to stop meeting this way, LOL......

Michael Schils

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 4:13 p.m.

Does anybody know if Bader Cassin is still the Medical Examiner for Washtenaw County? If so, then we probably shouldn't expect any word regarding the autopsy anytime soon. Cassin delayed releasing his findings in the Clifton Lee, Jr. case for two months in order to, in his words, "let the press die down." http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2008/11/deputy_trial_medical_examiner.html

problu

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 3:29 p.m.

@Mick52 "So I suppose we should require our officers to have each potential taser recipient fill out a medical history form before the taser is applied. Excuse me sir or madam, could you cease your ruckus and answer these questions?" Don't forgot one of the prior posters that said the cops should also be aware of the surroundings before tasing so the "victim" won't get injured by hitting any hard surfaces. When the time out is called the police can do the medical history, check out the surrounding area, issue a helmet, then tase....... -or-.......maybe, just maybe, the "victim" should not get involved with illegal drugs then run from the police and be combative. Nobody involved is saying the man deserved to die but it was his own choice to run and resist.

Kai Petainen

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 2:41 p.m.

they might want to look at the Robert Dziekanski case in Canada. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dzieka%C5%84ski_Taser_incident

Mick52

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 2:32 p.m.

Thanks to @mitch and @trespass for links to death by taser. My question is, did you read them? I did. Well not all of them, but enough to get bored by reading over and over the cause of death could not be tied to the use of a taser. In particular with the amnestyinternational link, the deaths were attributed to pre-existing conditions and curiously, many listing acute cocaine or methamphetamine intoxication as a contributing factor. Very few list the taser as a contributing factor! So I suppose we should require our officers to have each potential taser recipient fill out a medical history form before the taser is applied. Excuse me sir or madam, could you cease your ruckus and answer these questions? The other issue I have is with aa.com putting so much emphasis on "man dies after being tasered." When I read he was thrashing about on his hospital bed, it sounded like he was pretty healthy. One would assume that if he died by taser, the effects of the tasing would be immediate, unconscious, unresponsive, etc. So what was his condition after the taser? Speaking? Breathing? How was he acting after being tased? If you are going to imply the tasing killed, him put in some support. This may be important since, when you read the cases proved to us by Mitch and Amnesty International, you see that most people who died from pre existing conditions, usually arteriosclerosis, and acute cocaine or methamphetamine intoxication, went into cardiac arrest or unconsciousness soon after being tasered.

Speechless

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:42 p.m.

Enough with stupid drug busts, ruined lives, and body counts in the streets. Legalize marijuana. Decriminalize narcotics. The "War on Drugs," as previously mentioned, has been a very expensive and spectacular social disaster for everyone, unless by chance you've been receiving fat paychecks for work inside the the prison-industrial complex. No one's decision to score a bag should land them in an autopsy room as a lifeless specimen, courtesy of our ill-spent law enforcement tax dollars. Deprive dealers of their profits and, hence, their business in our country, by having narcotic addicts register with the government, as in parts of western Europe. Over there, cheap government dope has substantially wrecked the Ayn Rand-ian 'free market' in street narcotics that exists here in the U.S. Then disband LAWNET and reassign its officers to more socially productive tasks.

Clayhill

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:34 p.m.

Even though Mr. Jackson had a criminal past the bottom line is, he didn't deserve to die. Besides, who other than the police know what happened in Mr. Jackson mother's house.

lawgirl

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:28 p.m.

There are 4th Amendment concerns with this case. All citizens have a right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.Was there a search warrant for the property? Did the police enter the home the next day with guns drawn while the family was sitting around the kitchen table for a possible misdemeanor?

jcj

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:11 p.m.

@kmgeb2000 My point being I have just as much right as Atticus does to promote the use of tax dollars as I see fit. I have no more or nor less rights than he!

kmgeb2000

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : noon

@jcj: Too bad, because they are his tax dollars as well, and has every right to attempt to change what he feels is wrong. --"And it is not your responsibility to try to negate the use of my tax dollars to enforce the law!" I guess we are near the end of the "Second Great Experiment" or "Prohibition 2.0", and we failed yet again. As RenegadeSolutions points out the US Drug Czar feels this way as well.

kmgeb2000

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 11:49 a.m.

@Mark Smith So I guess that is what is NOT going to happen now as the potential lead is dead. "Also, in case you don't know, "small time pot users" as you call them will often times lead to "big time drug dealers"."

Nephilim

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 11:17 a.m.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/top-5-drugs-seized-by-the-livingston-and-washtenaw-narcotics-enforcement-team/ Again Atticus appears to be right. Looking at this link, it appears lawnet only goes after the small time pot dealers. Seriously???????? Almost as much cocaine and heroin was seized as marijuana!!!!!!!!!!!

Nephilim

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 11:09 a.m.

Go up to the search box of Ann arbor.com and type In Ypsilanti shootings and see what you come up with? See how many are drug related. Something is telling me it isn't over "pot" either.

jcj

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 11:08 a.m.

@Atticus ". It's not your responsibility to spend my tax dollars to create a police state environment, in order to regulate morality" And it is not your responsibility to try to negate the use of my tax dollars to enforce the law!

Atticus F.

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 10:46 a.m.

Mark, the problem with your point of view, is you are suggesting we spent precious resources to enforce your moral beliefs that intoxication is morally wrong. It's your responsability as a parent to inform your children about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco... It's not your responsability to spend my tax dollars to create a police state environment, in order to regulate morality. Abd the 85% figure I got was from a recent a2.com article stating the breakdown of the arrest lawnet has made, and what the bust were made for.

trespass

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 10:29 a.m.

Why doesn't AnnArbor.com do a story on other individuals that have been tasered by WCSD and under what circumstances. Mr. Jackson happened to die but the WCSD took a risk with someone's life each time it was used. Don't we want to know what the policy is for using a taser and is it being followed?

Mark

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:32 a.m.

atticus.... I NEVER said that it is ok to kill people like that. Also, in case you don't know, "small time pot users" as you call them will often times lead to "big time drug dealers". I don't know about you, but I do not want my kids to get involved with any type of drug and be labeled as a "small time pot user" ANY amount is bad and needs to be off the street, and if it takes LAWNET to arrest small time pot users then so be it. By the way, what is your source for the 85% figure you posted?

Atticus F.

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:02 a.m.

Mark, LAWNET shot a person a couple years ago who was simply trying to get away. Also you might want to note that 85% of lawnet's bust are against small time pot users...not exactly the hard core thugs that you've inaccurately described. I just think you're trying to justify an outdated steryotype of the drug crazed lunatic, and trying to justify that it's ok to kill people like that.

Atticus F.

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 8:47 a.m.

The point I'm trying to make is that. I dont want to live in a world where being a drug addict can get you killed, but it's perfectly acceptable for the police to break the law...which seems to be perfectly acceptable to some folks here.

Mark

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 8:44 a.m.

@keepingitreal "Its interesting that law enforcement officers could capture and arrest three escaped and by their own admissions armed and dangerous felons from an Arizona prison without incident or using tasers but our law enforcement officers in Washtenaw County could not arrest one lone black man that from all accounts did not appear to be armed. Go figure! But, once again, complete silence from the black community." I have a couple problems with this statement. You assume that every arrest is routine, that it is a cookie cutter procedure. You state that prisoners were taken into custody without incident. Fine, why would you need to taser someone then? The choices of the prisoners dictated the response from law enforcement. The fact in this case is that Mr. Jackson caused an incident and the responding officers had to use force. The other issue is, why are you trying to make this into a racial issue? I may be wrong, but I don't think that the news article once stated Mr. Jackson's race. To me, you are deliberately trying to incite racial tension. You should be ashamed.

Atticus F.

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 8:43 a.m.

Mark Smith, the key word is investigation...He had not been convicted of anything in this incident. I'm just as likely to believe that he might have done nothing wrong, and was being investigated by lawnet because he had a criminal past. Also LAWNET has a history of killing drug addicts, and dealers, and using excessive force.. And if one of your relatives died of a drug over dose, would you suggest that the drug user had no culpability in their own death?

theresa

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 2:09 a.m.

IT'S SO SAD, HERE WE GO AGAIN ANOTHER DEATH IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHO CARES ABOUT HIS RECORD, EVERY ONE IN THIS COUNTY WHO IS BLACK HAS A RECORD. BUT WE ARE HUMAN AND ALL WE WANT IS THE TRUTH! IT'S DRUGS ALL OVER THIS COUNTY, THEY CANT GET A JOB OR A PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE OF A RECORD.SO PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY DO, BLACK AND WHITE.MY BROTHER HAS LIVED ALL OVER THE WORLD AND HE HAS DRIVER LICENSE FOR EVERY STATE AND DIFFERENT COUNTRIES BUT HE CANT DRIVE IN THIS COUNTY BECAUSE HE WAS IN TROUBLE 29 YRS.AGO.HE HAS SERVED IN THE NAVY HALF OF HIS LIFE. THE POLICE ALWAYS MESSES WITH HIM, HE HAD TO LEAVE AND MOVE TO DETROIT.SO WHO HAS THE RIGHT ANSWER? MAYBE HE WAS SCARE, TIRED OF POLICE DID THEY FIND DRUGS IN HIS HOME OR ON HIM!LESS GET THE TRUTH 1ST! MAYBE THE POLICE PANIC OR WERE THEY MAD AND TOOK IT TOO SERIOUS.I BEEN SCARE OF POLICE AND WILL NOT ROLL DOWN MY CAR WINDOW AND HAVE TOLD THEM THAT. DONT HAND CUFF ME AND MAKE ME SIT ON CURB, AND THEN RELEASE ME LIKE I COMMIT A CRIME FOR A TRAFFIC STOP. WALK IN THESE PEOPLE SHOES AND SEE HOW THEY TREAT YOU! I JUST WANT THE TRUTH AND THE POLICE IS SCARING THE COMMUNITY ONCE AGAIN!

MR.T.

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 1:40 a.m.

I AGREE WITH A FEW OF THE COMMENTS WRITTEN YOU KNOW THE ONES DONT BE A CRIMINAL DONT HANG AROUND DOPE HOUSES IF YOU BEEN TO PRISON YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE.NOW HERES MY COMMENT BLACK FOLKS YOUNG AND OLD HEAR THIS LETS STAY OUT OF THE TRAPS THAT ARE SET BEFORE US BECAUSE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT SO LET THEM SELL THEIR OWN DOPE THAT WAY YOU DONT HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE FOR A COUPLE DOLLARS SEE IF THESE PEOPLE AT THE TOP MANUFACTURING THE DRUGS WILL COME TO YOUR BLOCK AND SLANG NO NO NO HE WOULD BE FOUND OUT THAT WAY SO HE PUTS IT IN YOUR HANDS SO HE CAN KEEP HIS CLEAN I CANT SAY IF THE POLICE KILLED THIS YOUNG MAN OR NOT IT COULD BE THE HOSPITAL BUT I CAN SAY THIS WE ALL KNOW WITHOUT ARGUEMENT THAT THE POLICE HAVE KILLED AND IM SURE WILL KILL AGAIN..NOW TAKE THAT FROM ME MR.T.

michigan48103

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:14 a.m.

As I read the many comments about this, it is so sad that People do not understand that this could be them and it could happen to them. The Police will act first and think nothing about it because they can and get away with it until someone does die and then there is a problem. This is why I know, because it happen to me and now, I am called a felon and I did nothing wrong, I just did not want to get shot with the Taser and die. Last January, I was going to visit a friend in Bloomfield Hills, a Medical Doctor and it was a cold winter day and we just had a snow storm the day before. I was in the far right hand lane on Woodward Ave and I did see the lights from a Police or Ambulance in the left rear view mirror and I did stop and wait to the right and I did not see any one pass me or come by me so I went on to my friends home and I thought the Police or ambulance just turned off on another street. when I got out of my Explorer, I heard a Man say stop the Police or I will shoot. I said what ever I did I would be right back, I have to use the rest room and went into the home and the Police officer shot the taser gun and did miss me, I went into the home and the doors were all unlocked and the officer Kicked in 3 different doors and shot up the home with a few taser guns and missed me and when I was in the rest room, he said to come out or he would shot me through the door. I came out and I was put into handcuffs, then kicked in the back, steped on and kicked on the head many times and taken away and put into jail and when I went to court the Police officer said in court, that I did nothing wrong, the driving was good and I did not speed, I just looked suspicious because I had on a leather coat with Fur on the coat and I looked like a drug dealer to be in Bloomfield Hills. Oh, and by the way I am a white Man that is 54 years old and with no record and I have not had a parking ticket in 30 years and have not done any thing wrong. To make a long story short, I had a Lawyer from Jeff Fieger Law firm and he was wonderful after he got his money and he had to be paid $10 Thousand up front before he would talk and do any thing. So, I went to court 10 different times and had a trial for 5 days and was found guility, and now I am called a felon and I am out about 45 Thousand $$$ and I can not drive for one year, on probation for 18 months. All because I did not stop to let the police shoot me and I had on a leather coat on a cold day. People remember before you say how wonderful the Police is and how wrong the person was that got shot, until you know the whole story, Just remember this could happen to you and the Police will not beat you in front of others, they will do that with no one else around. When, I wrote to the Newspaper and the TV stations, they wrote back to me and said my situation was not news because no one was killed, so I do hope the law some day will change about the Taser guns and how the Police will treat others, it is not right.

washsquar

Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:04 a.m.

I find it amazing that everyone is so quick to judge the actions of the police. This drug raid took place in a residential neighborhood in the middle of the afternoon. There were children out playing in their yards and riding bikes on the street when this took place. The police new the record of the deceased and had to get the situation under control as quickly as possible. If a stray bullet had hit and kill'd an innocent child the community would be up in arms that the police did not do enough to subdue the suspect and they let the situation escalate out of control. I am sorry that MR.Jackson lost his life but I am grateful that an innocent child was not hurt during this drug raid. I applaud the WCPD for getting this drug ring out of the neighborhood and protecting it's citizens.

kraiford12

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 11:20 p.m.

@Mitch *sigh* Got a real smart guy here. He's got all the answers. He's right, police officers are trained to deal with every conceivable circumstance and their infinite outcomes. They are also given the ability to see 1.5 sec. into the future to know exactly how/when any uncooperative person should be taken down. Tell you what Mitch, We'll go over as many take-down methods as you want that are currently being taught to law enforcement officers. Then we'll setup a scenario, you be the cop, I'll be the bad man. I'll give you 100$ for every time you execute even one of those taught methods successfully. Heck, even if you do it once that's a good deal. Btw, been tazed, not that bad. It's a great alternative to going hands-on. Why should an officer have to risk serious or even minor injury to themselves becomes someone wasn't being cooperative? What they do is not just a lifestyle, it's their job, their income. Most of them have families to support. It would be foolish of any person to risk personal injury if another method presents itself that limits the risk of injury to both involved. I'm serious about the 100$, put your logic to the test amigo.

MODERNWARFARE1978

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:35 p.m.

THIS IS FOR MITCH AND ANY OTHER PERSONS WHO QUESTION TASER: First I want to say, I am sorry for your loss Mitch if someone you know died after being tased. Secondly we need to keep a very open mind in reference to this incident. We need to put this in perspective. Someone died, and many lives were impacted by this persons death, and I feel for his family and friends regardless of his criminal background. Next you need to consider how the deputies and officers feel. No officers I know want to be involved in a situation like this one. Now in this case, this subject's heart stopped after being "GIVEN SOMETHING TO RELAX HIM" at the H O S P I T A L.(per the article). The TASER has saved more badguys from being harmed, and more officers from being injured. Trying to fight with persons who are intoxicated, and/or under the influence of a narcotic is quite the choretrust me. Trained Hand to Hand techniques are not always enough, and lead to more suspect/officer injuries. MITCH you need to know your material before you open your mouth about Police Tactics and the use of the Taser, and I can tell from the way you write that you are NOT a police officer, and you have no IDEA what it is like to fight with a subject who wants to harm you, or kill you, or just someone who does not wish to go to jail. The Taser is a godsend for police and it keeps subjects safer. There is no police tactic that is perfectly safe. A take down "could" result in the death of a subject. Here is the bottom line... DO NOT FIGHT WITH THE POLICE, and you will be just fine. Another subject needs to be explored here and it is called EXCITED DELIRIUM Where a subject gets so worked up after a fight with the Police or someone else and his heart rate will not go down because he has reached a certain point. The subject has extra strength and feels very little pain. This could be at play here due to the circumstances surrounding this incident. This could be why doctors were trying to get him calm. Again, I am very sorry for the familys loss this is very tragic for them.

mls016

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:09 p.m.

I would like to thank the Sheriff's department for their commitment to keep this neighborhood safe. Same department that came and drove by our house within minutes when my wife called them about a suspicious vehicle outside of our house at night while I wasnt home. (our house is just a few miles away from heather drive) They show there presence all the time and it is greatly appreciated! Thanks again.

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 9:32 p.m.

@jcj- Of course I would rather have a Sheriff's Deputy watch my children but that is rather irrelevant. We are not comparing the goodness of the law officers with that of Mr. Jackson. We are just asking whether or not the officers did all they could to avoid his death. We don't know yet. This blog is obviously speculative until we get more information but there is a lot of information on the Web about how tasers are dangerous and how they can be abused. This man happened to die but there are many more times that the taser has been used when we would not want to risk death of the person being tasered. I am thinking in particular about the 17 year old high school student who was tasered recently by a Sheriff's deputy. So I am hoping that this incident leads to a more thorough investigation of use of taser policies.

stunhsif

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 8:59 p.m.

@jcj, I would never let a convicted felon watch my kids, a cop can/could anytime. I support your last post 100%.

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 8:13 p.m.

@trespass Your last post put it quite well. I have no problem asking tough questions. We need checks and balances. But if there is going to be one party that gets the benefit of the doubt from me it will always be law enforcement and not a convicted felon. Which one would most of the posters here want baby sitting their children?

ronaldduck

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:56 p.m.

RenegadeSolutions Not to mention the massive amount of violence that goes on south of the border with the drug cartels

RenegadeSolutions

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:37 p.m.

"Thank you WCSD for your courage and commitment. Your hard work keeps me and my family safe and makes our community a better place to live." Actually, it's not "the drug problem" but our drug policy that are putting your family and community at risk. The drug war-drug prohibition-is a failed public policy and there's no way around it. In May, the Associated Press published an investigative report, The US Drug War has Met None of its Goals. This is the hardest hitting indictment of the drug war yet, from the first sentence that says, "After 40 years, the United States' war on drugs has cost $1 trillion and hundreds of thousands of lives, and for what? Drug use is rampant and violence even more brutal and widespread." They gathered up and put a price tag on the drug war. Using Freedom of Information Act requests, archival records, federal budgets and dozens of interviews with leaders and analysts, the AP went back 40 years, to the beginning of the drug war, and tracked the money weve spent since the inception of drug prohibition. They found that the United States repeatedly increases budgets for programs that do little to stop the flow of drugs. Even U.S. drug czar Gil Kerlikowske concedes the strategy hasn't worked. "In the grand scheme, it has not been successful. Forty years later, the concern about drugs and drug problems is, if anything, magnified, intensified." http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=10642775 We cannot arrest our way out of this problem. It is the black market created by drug prohibition that has created the problems we associate with "drugs:" rampant widespread availability of illegal drugs, easy access of drugs by children (ask your kid which is easier to obtain, alcohol or pot) turf war violence between drug dealers and drug raids just like these that put law enforcers, drug users and bystanders at risk. Legalize and regulate all illegal drugs, just like we did with alcohol and you'll eliminate the empowered black market and all the police corruption, market place violence and death caused by the drug war. But you don't have to take my word for it. Go here www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com to see what cops have to say about it. In the mean time, I don't have to wait for the police report on this issue. I've seen in hundreds of times already. The real issue is, when are we going to come to our senses and put drug dealers out of business, gain control over the black market and keep our children safer?

problu

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:06 p.m.

@Heardoc "You seem to feel that you and other officers are somehow above scrutiny and the law" I do????? Where did that come from?

realworldthinking

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:03 p.m.

Dear Sheriff Jerry Clayton: THANK YOU! Its about time we have a true law enforcement / community leader that will stand up and do the right thing. Sheriff Clayton, I agree with you 100% by encouraging everyone to withhold judgment until the entire investigation is concluded. It is refreshing to see that there is actually an elected leader who is more interested in the truth instead of making statements for political gain. The way Sheriff Clayton is handling this incident is the definition of a true leader doing the right thing.

problu

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 6:31 p.m.

@KeepingItReal "Its interesting that law enforcement officers could capture and arrest three escaped and by their own admissions armed and dangerous felons from an Arizona prison without incident or using tasers but our law enforcement officers in Washtenaw County could not arrest one lone black man that from all accounts did not appear to be armed. Go figure! But, once again, complete silence from the black community." That's alot like saying it's interesting how Mr. Smith had successful heart surgery done in Arizona but Mr. Jones died when having heart surgery in Michigan.

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 6:24 p.m.

@jcj- It is true that police officers have a lot to consider when deploying force. The more force they deploy the more they have to consider. The point is that Tasers are less-lethal force not non-lethal force and officers should use them carefully. An investigation may show that the officers did all they could to ssfeguard Mr. Jackson but it is reasonable to ask tough questions when someone dies as a result of police action. I can't even say it occurred during an arrest because the story says "She said the officer told her her son was not under arrest". We don't know if they had a warrant for his arrest or if they were just investigating in hopes of an arrest.

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 6:02 p.m.

"Taking account of the objects in the room and the hardness of the surface are part of the risk assessment." How many corpses have you had attack you? Obviously things move a little slower when doing an autopsy! They don't turn on you very often.

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:56 p.m.

@jcj- in medicine it is called a differential diagnosis (the most likely alternatives) @stunsif- Choosing whether or not to use a taser is a risk/benefit calculation. Taking account of the objects in the room and the hardness of the surface are part of the risk assessment. Having worked as a assistant Medical Examiner, I know the temptations of the relationship with the police. You can also look on the Internet for many examples of scandals caused by forensic examiners becoming too close to law enforcement, including Houston, Fort Worth, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, Baltimore, San Francisco, Florida, Kansas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Montana, Washington, Wiconsin, Broward County, the FBI and Detroit.

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:38 p.m.

@trespass I used to work in a doctors office and it was disgusting what they would say about patients after the patient left! And the instructions they would give for getting rid of people with no insurance was also disheartening. None of the previous was true as far as my working in a doctors office. But it does prove what stunhsif had to say! The problem is there are people that follow these post that are so gullible and take them as dare I say "the gospel".

stunhsif

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:24 p.m.

@Tresspass, so now the cops are supposed to make sure that the criminal won't hit their head on an object( on the way down) before they tase him/her. Guess you'd be as good a cop as they would a doctor/nurse/medical assistant or whatever you are. As for you saying that medical examiners are "cozy" with the police, where is your proof. Talk is cheap on the internet!

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:24 p.m.

@trespass And if you are a medical doctor I hope you don't jump to such quick conclusions when diagnosing medical problems as you do when evaluating police actions!

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:18 p.m.

keepingitreal "one lone black man that from all accounts did not appear to be armed" Keeping What Real? From WHAT accounts is it indicated that the lone black man did not appear to be armed? Maybe the silence from the black community is because they are waiting to get the facts unlike most of the posters here!

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:13 p.m.

Is that Sgt. Sean Hoydic of the South Lyon Police Dept? It is nice to see a Police Sargeant so blase about head injuries, which are responsible for many of the deaths and serious injuries resulting from tasers. I hope you are not responsible for taser training in the South Lyon PD.

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:05 p.m.

@Sean Hoydac- "If this 'victim' of the police made it to the hospital, and then died, that is on them. Especially if he was flipping out when he got there". So now you are a doctor. If he died of a head injury, which is a pretty good bet given this history, the proximate cause of death is the taser. Agitation is one of the signs of a head injury. I have never seen a head injury patient wake up from a coma without uttering a string of profanities. I would love to be in the autopsy suite when they do this autopsy. I have not worked in this Medical Examiners office but I have worked in others and I know the relationship between the Police and the Medical Examiners office is close. Given all the scandals involving forensic laboratories of late, I think there should be someone independent in that room.

KeepingItReal

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:01 p.m.

Its interesting that law enforcement officers could capture and arrest three escaped and by their own admissions armed and dangerous felons from an Arizona prison without incident or using tasers but our law enforcement officers in Washtenaw County could not arrest one lone black man that from all accounts did not appear to be armed. Go figure! But, once again, complete silence from the black community.

JGS

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:01 p.m.

Rancid speculation abound... whew. Thank you to each and every law enforcement individual out there for keeping us safe.

stunhsif

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:59 p.m.

@?Heardoc, I am not a cop and I agree with problu 100%. He is right on in his analysis in my opinion. Regarding Malice Green, how on earth is a cop supposed to know if a criminal has a bad heart? Chances are good that this situation will turn out the same way. Everyone knows that crack cocaine "redlines" your heart,lungs and raises your blood pressure to dangerously high levels. I fully defend the police busting drug dealers, now the speeding ticket I got last week is another story. Cost me 165 bucks up in Farmington Hills!

Jay Thomas

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:45 p.m.

@Heardoc: 1. The police are more than a necessary evil. I can't imagine why you would say something that over the top. If I had to rely on my neighbors in the event of a dangerous criminal seeking to do me harm they wouldn't be much use being elderly people. I imagine all most Ann Arborites would do anyway is call the police. 2. Ypsi is a third African American so it doesn't surprise me. 3. The fact that police have "powers" and a gun doesn't mean much when someone is resisting. They have to make a split second decision and in this case they chose to use the taser.

Heardoc

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:38 p.m.

@problu -- one last comment--I hope you are not a police officer. Given the comments you have made it might be better if you went into managing a school yard........ You seem to feel that you and other officers are somehow above scrutiny and the law.

Sean

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:34 p.m.

Who wrote this? Did they have a check list for riot inciting buzzwords? Let's see, Taser, check, excessive force, check, 'assault rifles', check... And "we'll shoot you if necessary"??? Who talks like that? Not cops, that's for sure. Wow. This needed to be a lot shorter of an article until you can come up with some actual facts, from the coroner, the hospital, or whatever. If this 'victim' of the police made it to the hospital, and then died, that is on them. Especially if he was flipping out when he got there. And yes, there can be blood with a Taser, most likely when the person tased heads face first to the floor, contacting an object on the way. That is most likely how the blood got there, if I may make a conservative speculation. I'll be awaiting anxiously to see which cop gets hung out to dry by the media in this town. Here's an idea, let the police do their jobs. That being said, if we didn't have all the moronic drug laws in this country, none of this would be necessary.

scooter dog

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:01 p.m.

If he wasent mixed up in the drug trade he most likely would not have been tazered.

problu

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 3:49 p.m.

@Bear "it becomes apparent that 3 of the charges arose from the same incident." So what does that mean? If I rob a bank, assault someone, then run from the police all during one incident is that somehow better than committing those 3 crimes independent of each other during separate incidences? @Heardoc "...not the Sheriff's office that keeps you safe - it is yourself and your neighbors." Feel free to call the Sheriff's Dept. and leave your address with instructions that if anyone ever calls in a crime taking place at your house they do NOT need to respond - you and your neighbors are handling it. @Mitch "Lose someone close to you as a result of tasers, folks." Well Mitch, ask the family of the recently slain Taylor officer how they would have felt about him using a taser on his killer. These officers have split seconds to evaluate how much force is needed and how much is too much or not enough.

Heardoc

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 3:31 p.m.

@Jay Thomas--Just a few corrections. With Malice Green issue-- in law it does not matter what the condition of the person is -- For instance, If I am drunk and cause a collision and kill a person --am i allowed to use the defense that a 'healthy' person would have lived so do not charge me with the killing? NO! many police officers, and apparently you, feel the laws should be quite lax when it comes to them (police officers) I am of the other thinking -- that police be held to a much Higher standard than that which you would like to be applied. You have guns, you have been trained, you have certain powers --and with all of that comes responsibility which you seem to want to shift to the arrestee. Never will occur with me and you are so out of line it is no wonder we have problems with the WCSD.

DFSmith

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 3:04 p.m.

Speechless- if a white, militia member had died froma taster hit, a lot of people here who are falling over each other to defend the person who died, would have said that the white, trouble-causers got exactly what they deserved.

Speechless

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 2:49 p.m.

A key phrase from what David Cahill wrote up above: "... a long history of problems with the LAWNET cowboys and cowgirls..." The information on this incident available so far does point to a Wild West atmosphere in the handling of a drug bust. Or, alternately, it's as if some officers doing this line of work will channel the adrenaline rush felt by Harry Dean Stanton's character in the film Repo Man: You see, ordinary people spend their lives avoiding tense situations. A LAWNET man spends his life getting into tense situations. It's insane that someone actually died as a consequence of a bust over a bag of pot and a small amount of crack. Rather than see these situations happen again and again, change the laws to finally legalize pot and also to decriminalize narcotics, Take the profit out of dealing, as is done in parts of western Europe, where abusers of hard stuff can register as official addicts. Also, it's sad and disturbing to read in some earlier comments the knee-jerk, near-celebratory tone and cheerleading for any and all aggressive police action, regardless of the circumstances, available information, or consequences, which includes predictable schadenfreude directed toward the target of the bust. The man who died had a record, was no saint, and did attempt to run, yet these are precisely the difficult situations which test our society's collective level of maturity and self-respect. In this, we... Fail. Of course, if it were a white militia member who died at the hospital following taser use, no doubt the tone of some authoritarian commentary would switch gears entirely, instead condemning the police for overreaction and for not showing sufficient cultural sensitivity.

casmom

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 2:39 p.m.

Mitch,I don't believe this man died because of the use of a taser! laughing2da bank, I am sure this man had lots of people that love HIM, however based on his criminal history he clearly didn't give a damn about anyone but himself! I have a family that I love...I don't do drugs. I obey the law. I don't even speed or talk on my cell while I drive. I value my life,my freedom,my family and respect the police. I don't put my life or the well being of my family in danger each day...because I love them and LIVE for them and need to wake up in my home each day...not in jail or worse. This man was not thinking of anyone but himself!

Jay Thomas

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 2:25 p.m.

In the past Mr. Jackson has been found guilty of the following: Resisting or obstructing a police officer. Firearms possession by a felon. Home invasion. @Stephanie: These are facts and not accusations or assumptions. Not sure why my post was removed.

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 2:15 p.m.

How about investigating the use of a taser on a 17 year old high school student by a Sheriff's deputy. It was just luck of the draw that the student didn't die or get seriously injured. Perhaps if the Sheriff's office had held that officer accountable for using a taser in a non-threatening situation (the darts were found in the back of this t-shirt) then there would be less liklihood of someone dying for a non-capital offense.

Ryan D

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 1:59 p.m.

The Taser and similar devices shock devices should be banned. It doesn't leave clear evidence of abuse or misuse like guns (bullet holes and dead bodies) or nightsticks (broken limbs and bruises). Irrespective of blame on human error or technology, too many coincidental deaths or other abuses at the hands of law enforcement have occurred, with only a small fraction caught on film or investigated in the end.

Milton Shift

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 1:41 p.m.

"It is safer to be tazed than to be shot." This is true - and this is why officers use it in countless situations in which they'd be tried and locked away for shooting someone. Look around on youtube - there's videos of officers using them to zap people for lying on the floor and playing mummy, or even pregnant women at traffic stops for being uncooperative. Not exactly a dangerous situation for the officer, but the tazer did make the job more enjoyable, I guess. The simple fact is that less-lethal weapons are widely abused because they don't leave marks and people usually survive their usage. It's hard to create a media spectacle and prosecute without a bloodied body, and so there's little reason not to use them indiscriminately.

Jay Thomas

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 1:20 p.m.

@ronaldduck: In the Malice Green case the cause of death was not the beating with the flashlight but the fact that he had an enlarged heart from years of drug abuse and was high on cocaine at the time. An ordinary person would not have died (he had no bone fractures from being hit).

berda

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.

i would like to see what he looks like i might know him can we see a picture of stanley son i hope sorry for ther loss somebody is real in big trouble

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 12:53 p.m.

@Heardoc "there is a significant body of evidence that suggests this is the case" Could be. But there is a larger body of evidence that suggests most criminals are selfish, crooked, heartless, lazy, ignorant, bullies that never grow up. Why is it that when a second grader draws a picture of a gun or says something offensive they want to expel him from school. But once these same 1st graders get to be an adult( I use the word loosely) the same people that wanted to expel the 1st grader now want to make the adult criminal into a martyr?

fremdfirma

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 12:48 p.m.

Well, the problem comes from the seemingly widespread misperception that a Taser is NON-lethal, as opposed to LESS-lethal weapon, and confusion over where in the use of force continuum that it might belong. And while I do believe police forces are often inclined to overuse or abuse them as a "people remote", something which a lack of training and proper oversight has made a really serious problem in recent years, if used properly they can save the lives of both officers and suspects when used in lieu of a firearm, because having a hole blown in you is much more likely to kill you. Please spare me the bloodthirsty type of comments I am so used to hearing here concerning the latter. The simplest method of solving the problem is to bump the Taser up the use of force continuum to just below the service weapon, and treat each discharge of it in the same manner as a discharge of the service weapon, with the same scrutiny, something many departments have begun to do - as well as having counter and camera equipped tasers, which I believe some officers in the area are equipped with, and if not they should be, as having a solid record of exactly what happened will put paid to the endless arguments and lawsuits as well as offer a strong check against abusive use of the devices. Even as tight as budgets are, that's one investment that will pay off both by reducing potential lawsuits, and discouraging any use of the device which might lead to one, because it's us taxpayers who wind up footing the bill. All that said we don't know what happened to this guy, it needs a proper autopsy and investigation, which it does appear to be getting. Any time police and a suspect get into a tussle there's always the possibility someone is going to get hurt more than intended, a restraint hold or pepper spray can cause respiratory distress, a Taser can cause cardiac issues, and having a hole blown in you isn't exactly healthy either... I would say more on the really obvious problems with the idea of "submit now, argue later", but lets keep this on-topic, shall we? We don't KNOW what happened, but with a little wise investment and use of resources, we can prevent potential fiascos in the future, and that is certainly worth looking into.

Rick

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 12:27 p.m.

Just a Question??? Why is it that you never hear that White people don't get killed by the police..only black men???? Just a Thought

Heardoc

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 12:02 p.m.

@TruBlu2-- Tresspass made an excellent argument fir the overuse of tasers --and there is a significant body of evidence that suggests this is the case. The article listed are just the tip -- No doubt you are a police officer and as such you do not like to have your authority questioned. Well, I question police authority every time it is applied. Police are not in charge-- it is the citizenry. As such -- we will question, challenge and in my case with the Sheriff's office--get you removed from the force. Police officers lie -- that is a fact. Whenever a citizen dies and the police are involved, thoes officers should be scrutinized very closely. Especially since this is not the first time this has happened with the WCSD.

Awakened

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 11:37 a.m.

I think that people should be able to choose how they live and where they live. If people in this community are being oppressed by the Sheriff's Department they should be allowed to form their own system and ask the Sheriff to leave. Once they have their own police/security system they can set their own standards for use of force and community review of use of force. They can set their own priorities for drug enforcement versus other criminal activities. Having a Department that owes it's allegiance and priorities to the will of a larger, majority, community will never represent the priorities of a minority community by definition.

Heardoc

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 11:13 a.m.

@Mikey2u-- one last thing -- Police departments are necessary evils.....not just necessary.

Heardoc

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 11:10 a.m.

@Mikey2u--- I understand your thought as you must be a police officer. But I was correct in my statement and your Idea of a community pulling together is bit off the mark-- government being in charge is tyranny. Police being in charge is corruption. You just fail to see the fallicy of your own thinking.

This puts a new light on a previous story in AnnArbor.com "Ypsilanti High School student who was Tasered faces felony charge" http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti-high-school-student-who-was-tasered-is-charged-with-resisting-arrest/ "I deployed the Taser to chest areaas I have been trained to do, the report said. "(Price) turned and fell to the ground. Once he fell to the ground, I immediately turned the Taser off" However; "According to the report, the probes of the Taser X26 didn't penetrate the student's skin, but lodged in the back of his T-shirt". Thus he was shot in the back and therefore must have been going away from the officer. In fact many of the deaths or serious injuries caused by tasers are the result of the fall, so the officer must take that into consideration when choosing to use a taser. It would be very helpful for the public to know the policies and training of officers regarding the use of tasers but the police claim that their "use of force" policies are secret and not available through freedom of information requests. The current story shows that using a taser can be lethal. How can we justify shooting a 17 year old student with a taser when he is fleeing? (they knew who the student was so they could easily have let him flee and arrested him later). Sheriff Jerry Clayton is a very good guy but I hope he does not fall victim to the temptation to keep this kind of investigation secret.

braggslaw

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:57 a.m.

Law enforcement has a tough job. They tasered the man... they did not shoot him. That shows restraint. I am sorry for the man's children and his family. He should have made better decisions.

stevek

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:45 a.m.

@mitch--to quote you "when will we learn"? I think the better question is--When will criminals and the 'lawsuit happy' people learn that when you break the law, bad things happen?

ezbngreen

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:36 a.m.

Community members seek answers after 31-year-old man (who has an extensive criminal history) resisting arrest during a drug raid in Superior Township.

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:20 a.m.

@Bangemoutthabox, "His criminal record should be irrelevant" Not to the law officers that were trying to find him! "A man's life was still taken unjustly" So now you are judge and jury! And where did you get your facts?

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:13 a.m.

@Mitch You need to be careful about making your bias so obvious! Case in point. I quote "Did the victim in this story need to be tasered? I don't know, I wasn't there" Very responsible statement here. Then your true colors come out! I quote "I sincerely hope the family sues for wrongful death" How can you justify the second statement after making the 1st statement? One might surmise that you have been tasered before. I have no way of knowing this unless you would care to share.

GRANDPABOB

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:10 a.m.

You are all assuming the taser killed him, why not wait until the autopsy report comes back before all the finger pointing.

stunhsif

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10:10 a.m.

@Bangemoutthabox, "his criminal record should be irrelevant, a man's life was still taken unjustly,many of you don't even know this gentleman". Wow, where to start? Wrong, wrong and wrong. You use the term "gentleman" rather loosely I dare say! @bear, My money is on Nephilim. I'll pay a grand as well to watch a 5'6" 160 pound guy try and take down a 6'5" 264 pound guy who was jacked up on drugs without the use of a taser or a gun. Ain't gonna happen without people getting really hurt or killed. Tasers are a safe and reasonable alternative to the cop using his gun and trying to shoot someone in the leg. @mitch, read the story over and over until you get it that the taser didn't kill Mr. Jackson, the autopsy will show that.

Rasputin

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 10 a.m.

The autopsy should be able to clear this up. Oops.

Mikey2u

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 9:46 a.m.

Heardoc, Theres a word used to describe the act of a community banding together to provide their own protection, its called being in a gang. The Washtenaw County Sheriffs Department is the only entity keeping Ypsilanti/Superior Townships from devolving into a third-world-like state. The Sheriffs Department isnt a necessary evil; the Sheriffs Department is just plain old necessary.

Bangemoutthabox

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 9:38 a.m.

His criminal record should be irrelevant... A man's life was still taken unjustly but the alledgedly "just." Besides that, I'm pretty sure that many of you on this website don't even know this gentleman...

stevek

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 9:17 a.m.

@laughing2da bank----when you are a father, son, brother, uncle, you need to take responsibility. If you don't break the law (alledgedly), and you don't resist arrest, then you don't run the risk of being tased. What you do is set an example of how to be a responsible human and you don't run into situations like this. There is a reason the police went to that house that day.

jcj

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 9:15 a.m.

@ Bear "i know people who are 5' 6" and 160 lbs that could take you down without any bloodshed; just a bit of screaming." Yea and I have some choice beachfront property in Louisiana for you! Its easy to make outlandish claims as Nephilim mentioned. These officers are out there trying to make sure they get home to THEIR families at the end of the day. And it is naive and unreasonable to expect them as ERMG said to ask them to say "pretty please" We are on the same page on this one ERMG! "A witness said he saw Stanley run inside his mother's Heather Drive home after two Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies and an undercover officer converged on the area about 4:45 p.m. Friday." Not the best thing to do when approached by police.

Dan H

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 9:13 a.m.

Another casualty in the insanely stupid war on drugs.

Heardoc

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 8:48 a.m.

@Mikey2u-- It i not the Sheriff's office that keeps you safe -- it is yourself and your neighbors. Yes they are there for emergencies but in a real crisis it will be to you and your neighbors to keep yourselves safe. The Sheriff's office is a necessary evil. In every police department-- I mean every police department-- there is always an element of corruption. We attempt to keep this controlled through Internal Admin boards and investigations. Police do not like citizen review boards as they are much harder on the police and less likely to be sympathetic to police and lean more toward the citizenry. Without extensive checks and balances -- to include a citizen review board with charging power -- police will run rampant as it appears that is what occurred here.

Heardoc

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 8:37 a.m.

The problems I see with the Sheriff's office started with Minzey when he was Sheriff. We really need to know the names of theses deputies. The Sheriff's office attempts to hide their names from the public so as to protect these individuals from becoming known in the community. we need more names from the Sheriff's department -- not just some unknown deputy. I have had problems with the Sheriff's department and after several years and some money i was able to have several deputies reassigned and one removed from the department. We need to know the complaints on these deputies -- just as we want to know info on our doctors, school teachers etc --there are problems with this department -- jerry clayton was a nice start but there are many that should not be with the department! The police services commander needs to be removed-- I think she came from the Detroit Police Department -- not very stellar. Many problems here and this is not the first time a deputy has killed a black man in Ypsilanti -- I think several were tried and convicted for this -- and all involved lost their jobs. This is very sickening -- makes you wonder if the cops are the criminals here...... maybe.

Mikey2u

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 8:34 a.m.

Thank you WCSD for your courage and commitment. Your hard work keeps me and my family safe and makes our community a better place to live.

ronaldduck

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 8:24 a.m.

This is from a study on use of force in Orange County/Orlando FL. funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. "The Orange County Sheriffs Office was one of the last in the region to move TASER to a level 4 (active physical resistance), as they were hesitant to limit its use. A study commissioned by OCSO found a substantial reduction in officer injuries and Workers Compensation claims that were directly related to TASER deployments (Hopkins &amp; Beary, 2003). When examining conflicts at the event level, this research focused on TASERs ability to end officer and suspect confrontations. This ability is inherently a measure for their effectiveness. A total of 2395 use of force reports reported conflict ending at the first iteration. In the first iteration, TASERs were deployed 2113 times. Out of these deployments, 1459 ended the conflict at this level representing a 69% success rate at conflict resolution. In comparison, other less lethal weapon such as impact weapons represented 45% success rate, and compliance holds were successful 16% of the time, takedowns were successful in 41% of the cases, and chemical agents were 65% effective in stopping conflicts before they escalated to a higher level, or an alternative was used. While the success rates for the other less lethal may appear high, they represent fewer than does TASER." http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/224081.pdf

laughing2da bank

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:56 a.m.

regradless of what he was doing or what his past was, this man was a father, son, brother, uncle he didnt deserve to die, now his kids got to fatherless, he had a 3 month child that will never know his father... yall people really need to grow up, one man gone but he left alot of people behind that loved him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David Cahill

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:55 a.m.

I look forward to the results of the investigation. The claimed statement by a police officer "We'll shoot you if necessary" causes me more than a little concern. Is it LAWNET policy to say something like this? Under what circumstances will they think it "necessary" to shoot someone? Or is it just a bluff? Of course that statement may not really have been made, or may have been garbled. But a long history of problems with the LAWNET cowboys and cowgirls makes me wonder.

stunhsif

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:45 a.m.

If you want to dance with the devil you are going to get burned somewhere along the line. Agree with RonalDuck, just do what the police say and have your day in court. Of course that is easier said than done if you happen to be jacked up on drugs or have prior arrests which you know will put you in the slammer for a long long time. Perhaps we need to look at legalizing soft drugs and making the sale of large quantities of hard drugs a capital offense. Reason for this is simple. Drug dealers help cause the death of many people, destroy families lives and cost the public dearly in many ways financial and otherwise. Sell 8 ounces or more of heroin or cocaine and you go bye bye. Just a thought.

win

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:44 a.m.

shame on the police for doing what they did to this poor fella. They should not interfere with people's right to violate the law over and over, use and sell drugs, carry fire arms and wreak havoc on the neighborhood. Why are the police always in the wrong place at the wrong time! We should get rid of police departments all over the country so people on this site can run the show and make things better for all of us.

ronaldduck

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:36 a.m.

P.S. for those of you who don't know about Malice Green he was beaten to death by Detroit police in 1992

ronaldduck

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:32 a.m.

Good point GRANDPABOB. I've told my wife and kids if they ever get into a situation where they are being ordered to do something by the police to just do what they tell you to do. No matter how wrong they are. You can straighten it out later. At the moment they are giving orders they don't want to hear arguments, they just want to control the situation before it can escalate. Funny how you never hear about the other two men that were in the car with Rodney King or the man that was in the car with Malice Green. That's because they did what the police ordered them to do.

stevek

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:29 a.m.

@Bear--you are right. Mr Jackson didn't deserve to die, but when you live the crime life, you know what the consequences are. It is unfortunate, but he chose to play the game and he lost.

GRANDPABOB

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:02 a.m.

Wayne county probation officers do a terrible job of keeping track of their probationers for one thing,this I know for a fact. It doestn't say the man died on being tesered it says he died after being adminstered a drug in the emergency room. I for one wouldn't want to be tasered so I wouldn't do anything to have a policeman yell stop, if I did and he yelled stop I would stop.

InsideTheHall

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 7:02 a.m.

It was a drug bust folks kudos to the Wash Sheriffs for doing their best to stop drugs in the county.

ronaldduck

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 6:17 a.m.

Mitch the mans mother said about the ER doc " He told her Stanley was fussing and trying to get off the stretcher in the emergency room, and his heart stopped when they gave him medication to relax him,. It seems obvious to everyone but you that the taser did not kill him. When YOU become a cop and you have a choice of fighting a 6' 250 lb man at risk of injury to yourself or you can disable him with a taser please let the rest of us know how you decide to handle it. Bear the man that said the police said they would "shoot if necessary" is a neighbor and may very well be a friend the suspect. I don't put alot of credence in what he said. Also the police would have known that there was a very good chance that the suspect would be armed because drug dealers frequently are so there would be a fear of firearms being involved. They would use less lethal methods to stop him until he showed a weapon but they would be prepared to increase the force used if it became necessary.

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:56 a.m.

Did the officers tell the doctors that Mr. Jackson was tasered? If he fell and had a possible head injury, did they tell the doctors? Did they tell the doctors he may be on drugs? Agitation can be a sign of head injury or drugs. We will have to wait to have more answers than questions.

trespass

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 5:50 a.m.

Many of the deaths or serious injuries that result from being shot with a taser are the result of a fall. Given the reports of blood in the house and the timing of the death, this is a distinct possibility. It is also possible that there was a medication error or a drug interaction, particularly if he was taking illicit drugs at the time. However, the record posted by Nephilim indicates that two of the conditions of his probation were drug testing and electronic monitoring. How was he dealing or using drugs under these conditions? It will be very interesting to see the autopsy results. In these kinds of cases, it should be required that there be an independent pathologist present at the autopsy since the Medical Examiner's office works for the same county government that the Sheriff works for. It is not required and it probably won't happen since the family probably does not have the money or the legal advice to insist on it. Detroit shut down its crime lab in 2008 after outside auditors uncovered serious errors in the way evidence was handled.

Bear

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:37 a.m.

Several felony arrests? Several firearms firearms possession charges? Did you read the same link as I did? Did you bother to look closely at the list? it becomes apparent when you do that 3 of the charges arose from the same incident. The first charge has me wondering, because it shows a sentencing date that is four months after the subsequent sentencing dates. Offenses 2, 3, &amp; 4 were committed at the same time. i don't think this guy was an angel, but I also don't think he deserved to die. So, for the sake of accuracy and truth, please don't exaggerate. Seems to me you all just skimmed the record, clucked your tongues and said, 'oh well, he deserved what he got'. I find that abhorrent at best and will leave it at that.

Bear

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:16 a.m.

nephilim, i know people who are 5' 6" and 160 lbs that could take you down without any bloodshed; just a bit of screaming. Skill vs. brute strength. So, we have police officers who lack the skill to handle a situation without resorting to tasering? Regardless of the individuals history of firearms violations, there was no mention of firearms or fear of firearms. if there was any fear of him using firearms, i am pretty sure they wouldn't be using tasers in lieu of firearms to subdue him. That is a red herring argument. There were no firearms involved and a police response to firearms doesn't include a taser. imagine that.

Bear

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:06 a.m.

LAWNET came busting into our house with no cause or good reason. Supposedly we were a "narcotics manufacturing and distribution center." They almost gave an older friend of mine a heart attack, busted down a door, found absolutely nothing on the premises after turning the place upside down, and left snickering and laughing. no apologies, no restitution for the property damage caused. just another day on the job. These guys are worse than criminals. Yeah, you have rights, you have the right to sit down and shut up or be shot. I wouldn't be surprised if the 'evidence' was manufactured to justify the killing.

Bear

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 4:02 a.m.

This is a drug raid! Well shoot you if necessary!" "I think it's important people know we value human life." Two quotes from the article that are at odds with each other.

Robert Stone

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 3:26 a.m.

@Mitch: Do you have any links to the independent research regarding taser-related deaths? I've been unable to find it. Thanks.

stevek

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 3:11 a.m.

nephilim-glad you posted this. Maybe all the posters defending Mr. Jackson will respond and their angelic viewpoint of him will change.

ezbngreen

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 2:13 a.m.

I wonder if Stanley was an MPRI graduate?

ezbngreen

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 2:07 a.m.

While I am saddened to hear about this and feel complete sympathy for the police involved, I do hope this incident will help put some focus back on criminals and the risk associated with their illegal activities. Take some time to familiarize yourself with your local neighborhood drug dealers (not ramblings of your local neighborhood watch), and read some of the stories that real people have gone through involving criminals. It is very unfortunate one more life has had to be lost due to their continued illegal activity. When will we learn that criminals should be behind bars?

stonecutter1

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 1:53 a.m.

Nephilim, lets make it ten G! I was a collegiate wrestler. You will be begging me to handcuff you. No blood whatsoever! By the way, I weigh 165. Send your info any time.

magnumpi

Sun, Aug 22, 2010 : 12:33 a.m.

totally agree with nephilim. i am guessing the police were well aware of his several firearm possession charges. the OTIS profile certainly gives more background information than the article.

JC

Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 11:43 p.m.

Something tells me that the neighborhood stood up for itself, called the police but never wished this tragic ending. Selling drugs in Washington Square does not end happily.

d_a2

Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 11:22 p.m.

@AnnArbor.Com staff, why don't you monitor and remove comments by users like nepholim who add nothing to the conversation thread instead of from people actually contributing who you claim are making "assumptions" which end up to be correct

stunhsif

Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 9:58 p.m.

@Nephilim, Good job on the research and I fully agree with both of your posts. My question to A2.com is why didn't they make it clear that Mr. Jackson had several felony arrests and had spent time in jail for similar incidents. As for the neighbor who "felt kind of bad for having to sit there and watch the cops try and arrest Mr. Jackson", I am guessing there were other neighbors that were sick and tired of living next to a house where drugs were either being consumed or sold. As Nephilim said, tasers most likely save lives when you consider what happened before they existed. My guess is a lot more of the potential criminals got shot with guns rather than tasers.

CountyKate

Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 8:45 p.m.

This story changes things quite a bit. Jackson was, evidently, given some kind of sedative after he got to the hospital. Thus, the Taser may well not be at fault here. It sounds like he could have had a bad reaction to the drug. The autopsy should be able to clear this up.

Nephilim

Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 8:44 p.m.

You all are right though, let's go back to the days where we didn't have tasers then you all can blog on here about how the cops beat up everyone. Here is my challenge to you: I am 6foot-5 inches tall and 264 pounds. I will give anyone of you a thousand bucks that can get handcuffs on me and put me in the back of a car without either one of us bleeding or needing medical attention. Come on bloggers, take the challenge. It's easy to hide behind a monitor and make ridiculous comments when you've never had to face anything worse than a hang nail or paper cut.

Nephilim

Sat, Aug 21, 2010 : 8:32 p.m.

Before anyone gets all teary eyed about what a great community leader Mr. Jackson was, please check out the attached link. http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2profile.asp?mdocNumber=372820 So let the speculation of police wrong doing and accusations begin............it's always their fault right? I'm sure there will also be a hundred posts here giving the police hints and tips on how they could do their job better. Thanks Lee Higgins in your excellent reporting abilities and thank you community in understanding that not everyone out there is all nice and friendly. To all who think this was another brutal act by your local and state law enforcement agencies, I have one statement to you: YOU DO THAT THANKLESS JOB AND SEE HOW LONG YOU LAST!!!!!!!!